The Most Beautiful Bookstore in the World

For all of my fellow bibliophiles throughout the world, I offer you the El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Built as a tango theatre in 1919, at the height of the South American craze for that sensual dance, the Teatro Grand Splendid was transformed to become a cinema only ten years later. It had the distinction of being the first cinema in Buenos Aires to show sound films. Under threat of demolition due to a poor economy in 2000, it was transmogrified into its current existence by the Grupo Ilhsa, which owns 40 bookshops.

Today, more than a million visitors from all over the world ogle at its opulence and buy a few books. Check out the website below for more stunning photos.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/el-ateneo-grand-splendid

The Cathedral Group – Rocky Mountains, part of Grand Teton National Park in the US state of Wyoming.

The below link is to a great photo of the Grand Tetons, from the blog of Chloe Gonzalez. My wife and I visited seven national parks last October, including hiking up to the beautiful little lake (Lake Solitude, because not a lot of people hike up that far!) near the top of the Grand Tetons. My first photo is of the lake with the peaks in the background, the second is of Sandra enjoying the view. The last is of a shot of the valley looking toward Jackson, taken from a point about a third up the mountain. Some tough hikes up, but the scenery is worth it!

Source: The Cathedral Group – Rocky Mountains, part of Grand Teton National Park in the US state of Wyoming.

More New Articles on International Travel, Including Huntingdon and Oxford in England and Tours vs Independent Travel

If you visit England, everyone goes to London. How about a couple of easy daytrips that are well worth the taking? And a few answers to the question of whether to travel on a packaged tour or to go it alone—or possibly combine the two.

All Saint’s Church, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England

Visit Historical Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, England, Home of Oliver Cromwell

Radcliffe Camera, Bodleian Library, Oxford

Visit the Colleges of Historical Oxford University, England

 

Fred and Karen in front of Schonburg Palace, Vienna, Austria

 

Take a Packaged Tour or Travel Internationally on Your Own?

International Travel: Croatia, Hungary and Greece

For my latest international travel articles, please click on the following links:

Croatia

Flea market in front of an ancient wall surrounding the Diocletian Palace, Split, Croatia

http://voices.yahoo.com/tour-beautiful-affordable-croatia-variety-of-11039752.html?cat=16

Budapest, Hungary

Parliament Building, Budapest, Hungary

http://voices.yahoo.com/budapest-hungary-beauty-variety-young-and-11192660.html?cat=16

Delphi, Greece

Offerings along the entryway into the complex of the Oracle of Delphi, Greece

http://voices.yahoo.com/delphi-greece-offers-two-historical-complexes-lovely-11227376.html?cat=16

My Newest Articles on International Travel, including Croatia and a “Dream Theme” Vacation

If you’re interested in travel to foreign countries, please read a few of my latest articles on Yahoo!, where I’m a featured travel writer. The first is on planning a themed trip that may involve multiple destinations. The others are on Croatia, which is beautiful with many fantastic places to visit, and is still affordable. Please let me know what you think; you can comment either on this blog site or directly on Yahoo!

http://voices.yahoo.com/pick-theme-international-dream-vacation-11192708.html

http://voices.yahoo.com/hike-plitvicka-jezera-national-park-beautiful-11044382.html?cat=16

http://voices.yahoo.com/tour-beautiful-affordable-croatia-variety-of-11039752.html?cat=16

http://voices.yahoo.com/a-lovely-bb-croatia-11012270.html?cat=16